Brother Nail “is ok to feel this way” but i believe is not ok to BE this way and everytime you feel anxious to feel your heart rate rising…
fair enough, so I ask, To feel this way, how much of the time is ok and how much of the time is it not ok?
I agree that feeling anxious is a natural human feeling or reaction. It is important to acknowledge the feeling and not bury or hide it and hope it goes away. It doesn’t. Recogniziing the feeling is a first move to alleviating the stress from the feeling. Living in a constant state of stress will eventually take a huge toll on the body and mind. Although it is not always easy to know the source of the anxiety, dealing with the physical effect and easement of the stress caused can bring clarity in the search for the source.
Thanks for your explanation Gordon. It makes a lot of sense to me.
[QUOTE=Brother Neil;36944]fair enough, so I ask, To feel this way, how much of the time is ok and how much of the time is it not ok?[/QUOTE]
Depends, i interact with people often because of my job, but peolpe and their pressure give me an anxiety, sometimes anxiety strikes me even when i talk on the phone or when my boss is around or if someone comes to close to me or when i walk ot the street or when im in a place with many people around… so maybe the half of the day is an anxious day for me
Nicos, i dont know the answer for you, but i wish you the best in this. I will share an experience
last night I set up a date, in the past years I had not had many dates but that is something I care not to worry about, only move forward. So once the date was set, take a shower, and thoughts come up about the future, get dressed, the same, i walk to where I was supposed to meet her, more thoughts, anxieties. all projections on something that was not happening. seeing past failures come up, but what are faliures, i dont know. so she arrives, we meet for the firtst time, go out to eat. at one point early on she asks if I am comfortable, another point she asks why I was not talking much. I am not sure how much she expected to talk but there was a lot of conversation going on throughout the night. was she anxious, was I anxious? at times I was nervous when eating, at times I was at peace, at times I was nervous in conversation, at times at peacce, at times laughter, at times compasion, at times light conversation, at times deep conversation.
she is a nice person, but does not seem to be “the One” I am looking for, how will i know when i meet 'the one" I dont know but believe I will know when I find her, maybe that is nieve, maybe that is trust.
so fears came up and fears left. I could focus on fears, i could focus on the success, or I could focus on neither.
what does fear mean anyway, that you care? for if you did not care would you fear? is fear love in disquise? Do I have your answer, i dont know.
sometimes we think we must do something to get there, to be happy, I have done this much of my life, were am I going, when will I be happy?
walking the dog this morning while going to the store to get ciggarettes, I saw two ladies a child, and a puppy, one lady, i think it was the mom, was playing with the dog, the other lady, seemed to be grandma, was tending to the child, I smiled.
the dog I was walking got scared of the busy street so we backtracked to a longer route, which is more quiet, even though i wanted the shorter one, but I did it for the dog and Gato, (thats his name), was more at peace.
at the store I talked to the guard, and smiled, talked to people inside, smiled, A guy noticed a hair in the food I just purchased, I pulled the hair out then took a bite from the food and told him “I hope I dont die” and then i laughed. that guy is on vacation from work and dong projects in his house. good for him
my best to you sister/brother? I feel you are a woman but could be wrong
brother Neil
Brother Neil you are wrong 
Well you had a lot of thoughts to busy your mind with, but i guess all those were comin out because of your worry about finding the ideal girl.
Good luck to you also i know how it feels cos i sometimes feel the same about the same issue but for me those kind of thoughts are easy to handle because i learnt to deal with more deep and strong thoughts.
Personally if i get over those anxious thoughts (which sometimes are so automatic that the body get anxious before the mind recognise the thought pattern) i will be a man living in peace
not the fitst time ive been wrong, only the second though, LOL
I have a friends she came from Denmark after a month of yoga practice to get her master degree. I asked her to ask about practices and postures that helps with anxiety. The weird think is that she did and she took some notes that i think they are coming in contradiction with what Innerathlete wrote above.
She been told that people with anxiety should try forward bending and people with depression do the backward bending, in addition she been told no one should try alternate nostril breathing alone because is a really dangerous pranayam and can worse the syptoms of someone. People who try this pranayama should only have possitive thoughts in their minds while practicing it.
Whats ur opinions? please place your comments
Yes Gordon, could you please explain? I too have heard and was taught that forward bends are therapeutic for anxiety. Backbends tend to be energizing, so they should be passive and more restorative in nature if they are practiced. So, I’m confused!!! Thanks Gordon.
Not sure Nicos, I understand the why Alternate Nostril pranayam (Nadi Shodhana ) is dangerous. It is balancing and cleansing. Perfect for those with anxiety. My students with anxiety issues find it very calming.
Wow I just re-read this thread and need to make my apologies as what I’ve offered here is incredibly scattered. I had thought I cleared it up within one of the posts but cannot, for the life of me, find it now.
I was initially thinking of depression. And that led to my feedback on avoiding forward bends in asana. Obviously the topic Nicos is broaching is anxiety.
My feedback on pranayama (for anxiety) stands as posted. For asana, when the student is anxious, forward bends can be very helpful however they create introspection. Ergo, as long as the student is ready for introspection then forward bends are sound. Of course when making a statement like “forward bends are good for anxiety, back bends are good for depression” we must realize these are generalities.
A practice for anxiety generally would be one that is uniformly calming; restoratives (which basically cycle through gentle, supported forward and backbends requiring very little effort on the part of the student), extended periods of savasana to close the practice, the use of calming pranayama ideally in the supine position rather than seated (especially for raw beginners or beginners), meditation to center the mental and vital forces, and foods that create calming in the nervous system.
Additionally, warm epsom salt baths, rubbing the body with a calming, organic oil (ie, lavender in a base of grape seed oil) and avoiding stimulation harsh to the nerves like loud noise, violence, television (loud noise AND violence), caffeine, etcetera.
Hope this is more clear (Nicos).
gordon
Thanks Gordon
It is more clear now yes. Thanks for your advices, but what do you think of the alternate nostril breathing technique? Do you think it can be as harmful as my friend told me that she been told, it is?
I thought this breathing technique is one of the most innocent onces a person should practice daily without a worry.
[QUOTE=nicos;37143]Thanks Gordon
It is more clear now yes. Thanks for your advices, but what do you think of the alternate nostril breathing technique? Do you think it can be as harmful as my friend told me that she been told, it is?
I thought this breathing technique is one of the most innocent onces a person should practice daily without a worry.[/QUOTE]
Quite right. Alternative nostril breathing is not dangerous at all, provided you do not exceed your limits.
What are your limits ? Your body will tell you.
Nico’s,
I also sent you a visitor message in response to the message you left me. I know of no danger and it is one of the most gentle of the pranayam practices. If someone is congested completely in one nostril, it’s not advisable to practice it. Other than that I know of no other problems with it. I would ask your friend why. Please share with us her reasoning.
Another thought on helping anxiety is walking meditation. It is very calming and mindful. It keeps you present in the moment. Vipassana meditation is also quite good for anxiety. You learn to not put any value on the thoughts/emotions that pop into your head. You then turn inward to see where those thoughts are manifesting within your physical body. (i.e. shoulders, jaw, belly)
Reiki, if it is available to you, is also quite helpful in calming anxiety and relaxing the body.
Does any of you have an idea of what Sudarshan Kriya Breathing is?
I have found a study About SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) and it seems a very nice and serious study that explains how SKY, which consists 4 breathing techniques, (Ujjayi, Bhastrika, chanting Of “Om” and Sudarshan Kriya) can relief anxiety and depression but it doesn’t gives any details of what Sudarshan Kriya breathing is. I can’t even look on the net and find any details about it either. Does any of you can help me on this?
Not too familiar with it, but did some research. A German study in 2005 saw a 75% reduction in depression/melancholy/ anxiety with those who practiced SKY 90 minutes 2 times per week. Other studies have shown similar results. The Art of Living teaches this at their Ashram during a retreat. It is difficult to actually find the technique as they won’t list it. Many feel that this practice has been commercialized by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who is the founder of SKY saying that he just repackaged Indian breathing techniques. Who know? I think it sounds intriguing and possibly quite healing!
Here is a link that shows the technique in simplistic terms: www.tehelka.com/story_main16.asp?filename=Ne030406Sudarshan_CS.asp
A word of caution with Bhastrika (bellows breath). It is a dynamic practice that requires a rather large expenditure of energy. It is best to become familiar first with diaphragmatic breathing then proceed slowly into Bhastrika pranayam. You should rest after each round. If you have hernia, high blood pressure, heart disease or dizziness, you should either not practice this or solicit the guidance of a qualified teacher.
Shanti
I found this link too Lotusgirl, that explains this breathing, but from what i read on the article which talks about that study (Page 2&3 of 14) (unfortunatly it doesnt let me post a link yet so you can read it) it explains that method as the three stages of Ujjayi breathing meaning that this is not the Sudarshan Kriya breathing but a modified version of Ujjayi.
i dont know if i made myself clear
Nicos,
Just curious, did you try the simple breathing I recommended? Agreeably, it doesn’t have exotic name, nor is it taught at any expensive school nor is it complex enough! But, I can guarantee you that the 3-2 rhythmic breathing can be made your normal breathing and can be practiced 24x7 if you want, can be done with only slight effort, and Sage Patanjali who encrypted it in the sutras, says ‘it works’. I experience it every day. Thanks for listening.
Suhas Tambe
To be honest i haven’t, just because the 3-2 rhythmic appears weird to me
but i have tried few other breathing techniques and the only one seems to get benefits from (without be 100% sure yet) is the Kapalbhati Pranayama. Of cource i dont practice it often and everyday because i know it might be harmful but is the only one that seems that can give me real relief.
It all depends on the severity of anxiety, I used to have problems because of anxiety and that’s why I started my Yoga routine. Now it has helped me big time and I can actually relax. I never knew how to relax before, Yoga has taught me how. I am sure it can improve it for you.
Nadi shodhana(*), aka “alternate nostril breathing” - 1:1 to start with (Inhale:Exhale),
Using the fingers,the thumb and fourth, or can be done mentally/psychically known as anuloma viloma.You can use regular interspersion of regular breathing(say every 4 count through both nostrils) or simply stop if the breath is strained or appears forced.
You can gradually & steadily increase the actual duration and by using mental counting.So 4;4,6:6,7:7 and so on according to your limit,always never forcing or going over your limit etc
Then you can gradually increase relative duration by increasing the relative count of the exhalation moving towards 1:2 ,Inhale:Exhale.
If you do move to extended exhalaaion after slowing down the breath with long,slow ,deep breathing ,i.e actual duration, you can start off by just 1 or two secs and then increasing that even over one sitting.
But best to introduce long,deep,slow-ish breathing.Whenever you are straining or out of breath and/or off your limit, then just stop and resume normal breathing be it through the nose or the nose- i.e stop altogether.
You want to make it as effortless as possible and introduce the gradations incrementally.
You can even start off in savasana with full deep breathing, abdominal(feel it rise,expand and fall,perhaps even contract a little), though employing the diapghragm of course, or full aka 3-part yogic breathing or raja breath.
When you’re doing the nadi shodhana with fingers(digital pranayama ) or mentally (anuloma viloma with or without interspersion,like breathing through both nostrils every 4 count say , and according to limit,what has been cultured in the nervous system already and capacity)
You can do some jala neti beforehand to clear out both nostrils.
Never foorce or strain but try to breathe like you are in no hurry and have all the time in the world.*
Best results come from regular practice of at least 5 mins.
Also see if you be attentive to the subtle flow of prana through either nostrils on the switch and in-between.Focus on the prana ,the subtle energetic flowing feeling at either nostrils rather than as much on the breath.Least this is what i often tend to do.It’s subtle.
I also get good results when the flow is not audible(at least to someone else); i have read this as how it is suggested, a sign that the flow of the breath is unhindered or neither forced (assuming you’re not also using ujjayi; i’m not entirely sure if that is also sometimes done with nadi shodhana.I can just tell you what i do and know).As i say jal neti might help you with that, followed by slow full deep breathing through bothe nostrils to begin with expanding the diapgrhagm and/or abdomen full and then releasing at peak inhalation.
Sometime later after a month or several of this you may introduce a smal incrment of retention on/after the inhale, a couple of secs and then increasing to 1:1:1.
You might want to check out the following thread:-
http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16/iyengar-pranayama-ratios-and-retentions-6300.html
They do say increasing the actual duration is potent in terms of being a powerful balancer.
Nadi shodhana,aka alternate nostril breathing, is one of the kings of all balancing breaths and practices. It balances ida & pingala and so prepares the sushumna for awakening.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati , i think, calls it the singularly and fundamentally most important pranayama.
(**Note:- The word ‘Shodhana’ stands for purification or cleansing ,nadis are nerves of the energy body/kosha.There are five koshas in classical yoga.Kosha means sheath. This one refers to the pranamayakosha, the second sheath after the physical body.And maya means they are all simply veils or illusions; manifestations of consciousness or the real self,atman,soul spirit etc;the inner most core,the true self, the absolute divine reality,witness,seer etc).